Liquid pumping system



March 28, 1961 J. w. VER PLANCK ETAL 2,976,814

LIQUID PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 24, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jlt Velma/1 3 [Meiji 321M010 ATTORNEYS March 1961 J. w. VER PLANCK EI'AL 2,97

LIQUID PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Dec. 24, 1958 2 SheetsSheet 2 2 29 29 /5 W ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2,976,814 LIQUID PUMPING SYSTEM James W. Ver Planck, 3509 Palmira St., Tampa 9, Fla., and Robert E. Simon, Tampa, Fla. (4998 Deauville Drive, Orlando, Fla.)

Filed Dec. 24, 1958, Ser. No. 782,975

6 Claims. (Cl. 103235) The present invention relates in general to liquid pumping systems, and more particularly to pneumatic apparatus for elevating liquids from wells, ejecting or lifting sewage, and the like.

An object of the present invention is the provision of novel apparatus for creating a vacuum pressure to compel a liquid to rise to a temporary receiver and then expel the liquid by means of compressed air.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of novel apparatus for raising liquids, which may or may not contain solids, by creating a vacuum to elevate the liquid to a temporary receiver where it is momentarily stored, and then expel the liquid by means of compressed air at least part of which is compressed and stored during the liquid elevating phase of operation.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of liquid elevating apparatus which operates in a novel manner to elevate liquids to a preselected level, temporarily store them and expel them by compressed air, characterized by improved efficiency of operation and automatic operation for long periods of time.

Other objects, advantages and capabilities of the present invention will become apparent from the following detail description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings illustrating one preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a fluid lifting apparatus embodying the present invention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus;

Figure 3 is an end view of the apparatus, viewed from the right-hand end of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic view of the essentials of the system illustrating the operation of the apparatus during the intake or liquid raising phase of the cycle of operation; and

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the essentials of the system, illustrating the operation during the liquid expulsion phase of the cycle of operation.

The present invention, in general, comprises a re- V ceiver tank having a liquid receiver section and a compressed air receiver section, and a driven compressor associated with the liquid receiver and air receiver sections of the tank through conduits and solenoid controlled valves whereby the compressor during the intake phase of the cycle of operation exhausts air from the liquid receiver section and compresses it in the compressed air receiver section of the receiver tank. A fluid conduit depends from the liquid receiver section of the tank and extends through a check valve into the pit, well or the like containing the body of liquid to be raised. An outlet pipe also extends from the fluid conduit adjacent the receiver tank through a check valve. The cycling of the apparatus is such that air is withdrawn by the compressor from the liquid receiver section and compressed in the compressed air receiver section during the intake cycle of operation. The vacuum produced in the liquid receiver section causes the fluid to be drawn ice through the conduit leading into the pit, well or the like and the check valve interposed therein into the liquid re ceiver section. When the liquid in the liquid receiver section of the receiver tank reaches a preselected level, the valving associated with the compressor is altered so that air is drawn from the atmosphere, compressed, and delivered to the liquid receiver section of the tank, this being boosted by the compressed air which was stored in the air receiver sectionof the receiver tank during the intake cycle which is also vented to the liquid receiver section during the expulsion cycle. The admission of the compressed air into the liquid receiver section of the tank forces closed the check valve in the fluid conduit leading to the well, pit or the like and forces open the check valve in the outlet conduit to expel the contents of the liquid receiver section of the tank.

Referring to the drawings, wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures, the apparatus of the present invention, indicated generally by the reference character 10, comprises a cylindrical, generally horizontally arranged receiver tank 11 which is closed on both ends and is divided into a liquid receiver section 12 and a compressed air receiver section 13 spaced longitudinally of the tank 11 by a partition 14. If desired, a removable end plate 15 may be provided at one or either end of the tank 11 to aflord access to the interior of the tank 11 for repair, cleaning or other purposes. The tank 11 is preferably supported in a horizontal position by legs 16. A fluid conduit 17 depends from the tank 11 in communication with the fluid receiver section 12 and includes the leg portion of a T- fitting 13. The cross portion of the T-fitting 18 is coupled at one end to an inlet check valve 19, from which a pipe 20 projects into the body of liquid to be raised, for example the well 21 in Figures 4 and 5, and the other end of the cross portion of the T-fitting 18 is coupled to an outlet check valve 22 from which the output pipe 23 through which the elevated fluid is expelled is connected.

Extending above and supported on the tank 11 is an air compressor 24 which is driven by an electric motor 25 through, for example, the belt and pulley drive 26. The input or suction line 27 of the compressor 24 extends through an intake valve 28, which is preferably a three way, air boosted, normally open, solenoid operated valve which, when energized, opens to atmosphere. However, the valve 28 is normally open straight through to a pipe 29 having angularly related legs 29A, 29B, 29C and 29D which extends to a capped pipe section 30 rising from the tank 11 and communicating with the interior of the liquid receiver section 12. Therefore, when the valve 28 is open, operation of the compressor 24 draws air through the conduit 29 and valve 28 to the suction input line 27 of the compressor 24. The high pressure or discharge line 31 of the compressor 24 extends through a T-fitting 32 to an expulsion valve 33. The expulsion valve 33 is preferably a solenoid controlled, air boosted, two way valve, which is normally closed, and which opens when energized. The valve 33 is interposed in the line 34 which extends from the T-fitting 32 to the pipe section 30 communicating with the liquid receiver section 12 of the tank 11. A branch line 35 having legs 35A, 35B, 35C and 35D also extends from the T-fitting 32 to the air receiver section 13 of the tank 11, an adjustable pressure relief valve 36 being associated with the line 35 in the region where it enters the air receiver section 13 of the tank 11.

A glass control tube 37 which extends along a vertical axis is disposed alongside the tank 11 to automatically control the cycling of the apparatus in accordance with the liquid level in the liquid receiver section 12 of the tank 11. The control tube 37 communicates near its upper end through a small diameter connecting line 38 with the top of the liquid receiver section 12 of the tank to subject the upper portion of the control tube 37 to the pneumatic pressures in the upper portion of the liquid receiver section 12. A housing 39 is provided atthe lower end of the control tube 37 and contains a preferably horizontally disposed flexible diaphragm 40 which supports the body of liquid 41 provided in the control tube 37 in a manner isolating the body of liquid 41 from the liquid in the liquid receiver section 12. A pipe 42 ex: tending from the housing 39 to the T-fitting 18 communicates the portion of the housing 39 below the diaphragm 40 with the lower end of the fluid conduit 17, and an additional small diameter connecting line 43 extends from the housing 39 at a point below the flexible diaphragm 40 and opens into the liquid receiver section 12 at the low liquid level at which it will be desired to cut oft the liquid expulsion cycle as hereinafter described.

A pair of control electrodes 44 supported by an electrode holder 45 depend into the control tube 37 to a position to be contacted by the body of liquid 41 in the con trol tube 37 to close an electrical circuit when the level of the body of liquid 41 is raised to a preselected point in response to a selected high liquid level in the liquid receiver section 12.

The control electrodes 44 control relays which energize and de-energize the solenoid operated valves 28 and 33, the valve 33 being in its normally closed position and the valve 28 being in its normally open straight through condition wherein it is closed to atmosphere when the body of liquid 41 is out of contact with the electrodes 44, and the valve 33 being open and the valve 28 being closed to the line 29 and open to atmosphere when the liquid 41 is in circuit closing contact with the electrodes 44.

The motor 25 is energized by a relay, schematically indicated at 46, the relay 46 being connected by any desired circuitry with a short electrode 47 and a long electrode 48 located in the well 21, which circuit is designed to energize the relay 46 to start the motor 25 when both of the electrodes 47, 48 are contacted by the liquid in the well 21, and to maintain the motor in energized condition until the liquid level in the well 21 falls below the long electrode 48.

In the operation of the invention, the apparatus is put into operation when the electrodes 47, 48 are both contacted by the liquid in the well, pit or other submerged body of water as indicated at 21, whereupon the relay 46 is energized to close the energizing circuit for the motor 25. In this condition, the valve 33 is in its normally closed condition and the valve 28 is in its open position wherein the line 29 is in communication with the suction line 27 of the compressor 24 and the branch of the valve 28 open to atmosphere is closed. This initiates a phase of operation which may be termed the intake cycle or first half cycle of the apparatus, wherein the apparatus operates in the manner schematically indicated in Figure 4, the air flow path being indicated by light triangles and the liquid flow path being indicated by dark triangles. In this intake cycle of operation, air is withdrawn from the liquid receiver section 12 through the line 29, the valve 28, and suction line 27 of the compressor 24, and is discharged through the discharge line 31, the T-fitting 32, and the branch line 35 to the air receiver section 13. A vacuum is therefore produced in the liquid receiver section 12, the air which is withdrawn being compressed and stored in the air receiver section 13, and the vacuum thus produced raises the liquid from the well 21 through the pipe 20, check valve 19, T-fitting 18 and fluid conduit 17 to the liquid receiver section 12. The check valve 22 in the outlet pipe 23 is closed by the liquid pressures existing during this intake cycle. The flexible diaphragm 40 communicates the pressures produced by the liquid head established in the liquid receiver section 12 to the body of liquid 41 in the control tube 37, and the arrangement is such that when the liquid level in the liquid receiver section 12 reaches a preselected high liquid level, the level of the body of liquid 41 in the control tube 37 is raised into contact with the electrodes 44 to close the circuit therethrough. This closing of the circuit through the contacts 44 energizes relays which energize the solenoid operated valves 33 and 28 to terminate the intake cycle by openin the valve 33 which communicates the discharge line 31 of the compressor with the line 34 and liquid receiver section 12 and closing the branch of the valve 28 which communicates the suction line 27 with the line 29 and opening the branch of the valve 28 which vents to atmosphere. This establishes what may be called the expulsion cycle or second half cycle of the apparatus, which is schematically illustrated in Figure 5, wherein the same conventions used in Figure 4 for denoting liquid and air flow are adopted. During this expulsion cycle, the compressed air stored in the air receiver section 13, due to the opening of the valve 33, is released from the air receiver section 13 to the liquid receiver section 12 through the branch line 35, T-fitting 32, valve 33, and line 34. This is supplemented by compressed air which is drawn in through the branch of the valve 28 which is open to atmosphere and suction line 27 of the compressor 24 and discharged at high pressure through the discharge line 31, T-fitting 32, valve 33 and line 34. As the air pressure builds up above the body of water in the liquid receiver section 12, the check valve 19 is forced shut and the check valve 22 is forced open to expel the contents of the liquid receiver section 12 through the output line 23.

When the liquid level in the liquid receiver section 12 drops to, or approximately to, the point of entry of the small diameter lower connecting line 43 into the liquid receiver section 12, the liquid head on the lower surface of the diaphragm 40 is relieved to the point where the liquid 41 in the control tube 37 drops below the electrodes 44 and tie-energizes the solenoids of the solenoid operated valves 33 and 28 to return them to a condition establishing the intake cycle conditions previously described.

While only one preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, it is apparent that other modifications may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and it is, desired, therefore, that only such limitations shall be placed thereon as are imposed by the prior art and are set forth in the appended claims' What is claimed is:

1. A repetitive cycling liquid pumping apparatus for elevating liquids from a lower level body of liquid comprising a liquid receiver, an air receiver, a liquid intake conduit communicating said liquid receiver with the body of liquid, a liquid output conduit for said liquid receiver, an air compressor having a suction intake and a high pressure outlet, means for establishing a liquid intake phase and a liquid expulsion phase of operation comprising a means including a first conduit connecting said suction inlet with said liquid receiver having a first valve therein normally conditioned to apply vacuum to said liquid receiver to elevate liquid from the body of liquid into said liquid receiver and cause the compressor to concurrently compress the air drawn from said liquid receiver in establishing the vacuum therein, means including a second conduit connecting said air receiver with said high pressure outlet for delivering air drawn from said liquid receiver and compressed by said compressor to said air receiver for storing the same during said liquid intake phase, third conduit means for communicating said air receiver with said liquid receiver in by-passing relation to said compressor, second valve means for closing said third conduit means during said liquid intake phase, means for opening said second valve means during .said liquid expulsion phase to apply the stored compressed air from said air receiver to said liquid receiver, means for closing said first valve during said liquid expulsion phase and venting said suction inlet to atmosphere, and means communicating said high pressure outlet direct with said liquid receiver during said liquid expulsion phase to apply compressed air from said air compressor to said liquid receiver.

2. The combination recited in claim 1, including means responsive to a selected low liquid level in said liquid receiver for conditioning said valve means to terminate the liquid expulsion phase of the cycle of operation and initiate the liquid intake phase of said cycle, and means responsive to a selected high liquid level in said liquid receiver for conditioning said valve means to terminate said liquid intake phase of the cycle of operation and initiate the liquid expulsion phase of said cycle.

3. The combination recited in claim 2 including valve means in said liquid intake conduit and liquid output conduit responsive to selected pressure conditions in said liquid receiver for closing said liquid output conduit only during said liquid intake phase of the cycle of operation and for closing said liquid intake conduit only during the liquid expulsion phase of said cycle.

4. Apparatus for elevating liquids from a lower level body of liquid comprising a liquid receiver, an air receiver, a liquid intake conduit communicating said liquid receiver with the body of liquid, a liquid output conduit for said liquid receiver, an air compressor having a suction side and a pressure side, means for driving said compressor, first conduit means including a first valve selectively communicating the suction side of said compressor with outside air and with said liquid receiver, second conduit means communicating the pressure side of said compressor with said air receiver, branch conduit means by-passing said compressor communicating said liquid receiver from a point above the liquid level therein directly with said air receiver, means for conditioning said first valve to exhaust air through first conduit means and said compressor from said liquid receiver to produce a vacuum for raising liquid from the body of liquid into said liquid receiver and cause the compressor to compress the exhausted air and deliver the same through said second conduit means to said air receiver to store the same therein, means for conditioning said first valve to communicate said compressor suction side with outside air and terminate communication with said liquid receiver to compress atmospheric air, and valve means for conditioning said second conduit means and said branch conduit means to discharge the compressed outside air into said liquid receiver for expelling the liquid in said liquid receiver through said liquid output conduit and to apply the compressed air in said air receiver to said liquid receiver to supplement the liquid expelling force of the compressed atmospheric arr.

5. A repetitive cycling liquid pumping apparatus for elevating liquids from a lower level body of liquid comprising a liquid receiver, an air receiver, a liquid intake conduit communicating said liquid receiver with the body of liquid, a liquid output conduit for said liquid receiver, an air compressor having suction and discharge conduits, means tor driving said compressor, first conduit means connecting said compressor suction conduit to said liquid receiver and having three-way valve means therein having a normally closed branch open to atmosphere for drawing in outside air and a normally open branch communicating said compressor suction conduit with said liquid receiver, second conduit means connecting said compressor discharge conduit with said liquid receiver, normally closed two-Way valve means interposed in said second conduit means and a branch conduit communicating said air receiver directly with said second conduit means at the compressor side of said two-way valve means, means actuated in response to the occurrence of selected lower liquid level conditions in said liquid receiver conditioning said three-way valve means and said two-way valve means in their normal positions to apply a vacuum to said liquid receiver by withdrawal of air from the latter through said suction conduit for raising liquid from said body of liquid into said liquid receiver and cause the compressor to compress the air withdrawn from said-liquid receiver and apply the same through said branch conduit to said air receiver for temporary storage to said air receiver, and means activated in response to occurrence of selected high liquid level conditions in said liquid receiver for shifting said three-way valve means to close the branch thereof communicating with said liquid receiver and open the branch thereof communicating with outside air to efiect compression of outside air in said compressor for opening said two-way valve means to communicate the compressed outside air to said liquid receiver to discharge the liquid contents thereof through said liquid output conduit and releasing the stored compressed air in said air receiver to said liquid receiver to supplement the liquid expulsion pressure produced by compression of outside air.

6. In a repetitive cycling pumping apparatus, the combination recited in claim 5 including check valve means in said liquid intake conduit and said liquid output conduit responsive to pressures in said liquid receiver for closing said liquid output conduit and opening said liquid intake conduit when vacuum is being applied to said liquid receiver and for closing said liquid intake conduit and opening said liquid output conduit when compressed air is being applied to said liquid receiver.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 899,101 Conkell Sept. 22, 1908 899,921 Stephenson Sept. 29, 1908 925,012 Moore June 15, 1909- 995,248 Gildea June 13, 1911 2,141,427 Bryant Dec. 27, 1938 2,170,549 Clark Aug. 22, 1939 2,180,274 Bentley Nov. 14, 1939 2,347,213 Neidl Apr. 25, 1944 2,434,027 Whittington Jan. 6, 1948 2,817,299 Weis Dec. 24, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 168,702 Germany Mar. 13, 1906 168,703 Germany Mar. 13, 1906 

